Momos are sweet little dumplings of Tibetan origin filled with either meat or vegetables. Below we show you how to make them vegan! This recipe is fun and makes delicious appetizers.
If you like healthy dumplings and have 40 minutes to spare, you’ll love our momos. The ingredients we used here are very common and accessible. You probably already have it all in your fridge!
Momos are quite small, so we categorized them as starters. Our standard ingredients will be below Make 16 dumplings. Feel free to make more if you want to make a big meal out of this! You can easily adjust the amounts in our ingredients tab.
Traditionally, momos are served with a tomato-based chutney achar. Preparing this chutney is easy and here we explain how to do it. But be aware that you can use any other dipping sauce or chutney that you usually have with dumplings. If you like hot dips, try our Hot Asian Sauce.
The recipe is vegan but not gluten-free as we used regular flour. However, if you have gluten intolerance, don’t worry. We have them! Prepare the batter using our gluten-free pierogi recipe, then use it in our momos recipe below, skipping the first step.
Finally, check out our substitution tips to try other tasty variations. Have fun making delicious vegan momos!
frequently asked Questions
What can I use as a filling for vegan momos?
In our recipe above, we used simple ingredients common to Tibet and most regions around the world: carrots and cabbage.
You can use as many ingredients as the filling for momos, depending on the season and location. Here are some ideas to get you started:
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Shiitake mushrooms, porcini, or any other “meaty” type of mushroom.
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Lentils (red, green, or brown)
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Peas
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Leek
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Green beans
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pumpkin
Feel free to pick from the list and mix and match as you see fit. And if you have another favorite vegetable, make it! If it tastes good on your plate, it’s good in a dumpling. Just make sure your stuffing doesn’t have any sharp, sharp bits that could tear through the flimsy casings.
Can I prepare momos without a steamer?
If you don’t have a steamer, there are two ways to make momos:
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Cook them in a pan like you would cook the Japanese gyozas.
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Put together a DIY steamer.
Gyozas are super tasty, so go for the first option. If you choose to do this, we recommend making the Momos cases a little thicker (1 or 2 millimeters more, above) so they don’t break.
If you’re feeling crafty instead, you could assemble a steamer using a pot, plate, mug, and towel. Sounds funny? Here it comes:
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Place a cup in a deep saucepan. The calyx must be shorter than the pot.
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Fill the pot with enough water to cover three quarters of the cup.
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Put a plate on the cup. The plate must be smaller than the pot so that the steam can flow unhindered. If you have what looks like a plate with holes, use that instead.
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Get a lid that fits the pot and line it with a towel.
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Bring the water to a boil, put the momos on the plate and put the lid on.
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Make sure the towel does not come into contact with flammable objects.
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Enjoy your momos!
Are momos vegan?
The traditional momos recipe includes meat, but there are many variations in Tibet and surrounding regions that use vegetables or a mixture of meat and vegetables. Our above recipe is 100% vegan.
can i freeze them
You can freeze momos but make sure you don’t stack them as they will stick to each other.
What do you serve with momos dumplings?
Traditionally, momos are served with a tomato-based dip. You can use ready-made tomato chutneys or chili sauces, or you can make your own, it’s that easy.
Try our Asian Chili Jam here or follow the recipe below to make tomato chutney:
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In a pan, heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil with 1 crushed garlic, 5g grated ginger and 2 fresh chili peppers.
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Then add 1 tsp turmeric, 2 chopped vine tomatoes and season with salt and pepper.
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Cook the sauce for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
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Transfer the sauce to a food processor and puree until smooth.
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Serve with 1 tablespoon sesame seeds and a small handful of freshly chopped cilantro.